Apparatus for elevating fluid



Aug. 26, 1930. l.. H. MILES 1,773,784

APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING FLUID Filed March '7. 1927 FEE. y

Patented Aug. 26, 1930.

UNITEDu STATES LESTER H. MILES, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA APPARATUS FR ELEVATING FLUID Application led March 7, 1927. Serial No. 1213,230.

This invention relates to anu apparatus for elevating Huid.

The general object of my invention is to provide means by which oil in a well Vmay be brought to the surface when the, gas pressure in the well is insuicient to cause the-well to Another object of this invention is to provide means which will increase the flow of oil wells in which the gas pressure is so weak that the oil barely Hows, and wherein means is ,employed for lifting the oil in a well to the surface without the application of the customary pump. Another object of the invention is to providev a novel apparatus including a plurality of stages or lifts for causing removal of oil from wells.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the toll-owing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereim Y Fig. l'is a vertical section through an oil well showing one embodiment of my invention placed therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through a plurality of the stages.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the lower end of one of the conductor tubes showing the check valve mechanism therein.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Y Y Fig. 5 is a detail section of the overload valve applied to the casing head gas outlet.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have shown my invention as embodied in a device comprising a plurality of stages 10 supported by a collar 11 on aV casing head 12. Intermediate the length of the uppermost stage I4 provide oil outlet pipes 13. The stages 10 may extend as far above the casing head 12 as desirable. The stages 10 are surrounded by a lcasing 14 supported at its upper end inthe casing head 12. A. gas outlet pipe 15 communicates with the space between the stages 10 and the casing 14. The ow of gas from lthe casing is preferably controlled by automatic release valves v30 16 more clearly shown in detail in Fig. 5.

Each stage 10 comprises a cup shaped member including a cylindrical side wall 17 having the lower end closed by a bottom or partition 18 to which a conductor tube 19 is secured. This tube extends'an equal distance '55 `provide external threads as at 20 and 21.

The conductor tube 19 is preferably provided at its lower end with a check'valve 22. 60 The body of the check valve may be secured to the tube 19 by screw threaded engagement therewith as shown inthe drawings or in any other suitable manner. The check valve 22 includes a ball 23 adapted to normally rest 05 ir a seat 241. For preventing extensive upward movementl of the valve ball 23 I provide bars 26iarranged across the tube 19 at right angles to one another and secured to the tube. l

lWhen assembling the stages 10 for use each stage `is preferably connected to and drawn into tight engagement with" each preceding stage by a stage coupling`27. To prevent leakage I may provide a packing element 28 75 of rubber or other material between the top edge of onestage and the bottom of the precedin stage. The lowermost conductor 19 may e provided if desired with a funnel Shaped inlet 29 which will actc to guide the 80 iuid into the firststage.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing the re-y lease valve 16 for controlling lthe. gas pressure in the casing comprises a housing 30, having a screw threaded entrance bore 31 85 communicating with a bore 32 by means of a smaller bore 33. The end of the bore 33 v adjacent the bore 32 is chamfered to form a valve seat fora ball valve 34, which is normally held in the valve seat by a compression spring 35. The tension of spring 35 may be adjusted by means of a screwthreaded plug 36, engaging similar threads in the bore 32, and held against rotation by means of a lock nut37, and communicating from one side of the bore 32 to a screw threaded outlet bore 38 is a bore 39.

The operation of my device is as follows: The oil and gas enter through the inletv 29 and pass into the lowermost stage. The oil and gas rise in the stages until the same level cent tube, the adjacent conductor tubes being within and without the stages is reached. Out f alignment.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto attix my From this level the gas passes up into the next stage wherever it may be located and this gas carries with it some of the oil. This oil falls onto the partition 18 and the accumulation of oil soon rises above the bottom of the valve seat 22. The gas pressure then increases in the stage under discussion and the gas passes up the conductor tube 19, past the ball 23. This gas carries some of the oil with it and this oil falls upon the next higher partition and the process is' repeated until the oil passes out through the pipe 13.

As the gas pressure accumulates in one of the stages and forces the oil upward through a conductor 19 to the next highest stage, the valve 22 in the conductor 19 through which the oil has entered said stage, will prevent the oil in the stage from being forced back down again.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a novel, simple and efficient means for lifting oil in a well to the surface.

What I claim is: f

1. In a well, the combination of a casing, a casing head, means associated with said head for lifting the oil in the well by means of the contained gas, said means including a plurality of stages connected together, each of said stages comprising a tubular member provided with a transverse partition, a conductor tube secured to said partition and extending downwardly into the stage and upwardly into the next adjacent stage, a one-way valve at the end of said conductor tube and means on each of said stages for securing said stages together.

2. In a well, the combination of a casing, a casing head, means associated with said head for lifting the oil in the well by means of the contained gas, said means including a plurality of stages connected together, each of said stagesv comprising a tubular member provided with a partition, a conductor tube extending downwardly into the stage and upwardly into the next adjacent stage, said tubes being out of alignloent with each other, a one-way valve associated with said conductor tube and means on each ot said stages for securing said stages together, and means below the highest oil level in said fluid lift for removing the oil raised by said stages.

3. For use in an oil well, means for lifting the oil therein through the medium of the gases contained in the oil, said means c0m prising a casing, a series of superposed stages in said casing for receiving and holding accumulated oil and gas, a conductor tube in each stage and extending into the next adjacent stage, the entrance .to each tube being provided with a valve and being located at a lower level than the exit of the next adjasignature.

LESTER H. MILES. 

